Thursday

Nov 8, 2018 at 6:00 PMNov 8, 2018 at 6:00 PM

SHREWSBURY - The town will be getting a brand-new Beal School.

Voters this week overwhelmingly approved a $92.8 million Proposition 2½ debt exclusion to pay to construct and equip a new Beal Elementary School on the former Irving A. Glavin Regional Center property at 214 Lake St.

The vote - 10,773 yes, 5,103 no - ratifies the resounding approval at a Special Town Meeting on Oct. 22.

The new 141,600-square-foot, 790-student K-4 Beal Elementary School will replace the overcrowded and dilapidated 96-year-old, 32,100-square-foot K-1 Beal Early Childhood Center that sits on 3.5 acres in the center of town at 1 Maple Ave.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority last week approved a reimbursement rate of about 36 percent of the cost, up to $33.2 million, leaving the town to cover $58.7 million.

Selectman James Kane, chairman of the Beal School Building Committee, said proponents are thrilled with the outcome of the two votes.

“The Building Committee and those in favor are thrilled with the statement of public support. We’ll now move forward to deliver a great project within the budget and allotted time frame,” Kane said by telephone on Tuesday night.

The next step is to secure the nearly 90 acres on Lake Street that the Division of Asset Management and Maintenance has agreed to sell to the town. The debt exclusion includes $915,000 to pay for the land. About 20 acres will be used to build the new school. The remainder will be restricted for public recreational and agricultural use.

The debt exclusion will increase the property tax rate for 20 to 25 years, adding 93 cent per $1,000 valuation in the peak year of 2020 for homes valued at $397,000. Half of homes in town are valued at this or lower.

Kane made a promise to voters who did not support the measure.

“We will do the best we can to make this a very responsible project and bring a project that they too will support once it’s up and constructed,” he said.

Construction is expected to begin next summer and the building would be ready for occupancy for the 2021-22 school year. Before the new Beal opens, all the elementary schools will go through a redistricting process. The new two-story school would allow for more classroom space throughout the elementary level to address current and increasing enrollment, as well as special education, art and music needs. There are 242 additional K-4 students projected between now and 2025.